2026 World of Concrete & CONEXPO Preshow Coverage

World of Concrete

This year will be a busy year for construction professionals, with big trade shows on the horizon in Q1. First up is World of Concrete (WOC), held Jan. 19-22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) in Las Vegas. Education sessions begin Jan. 19, and the exhibit hall opens Jan. 20. WOC is an annual event for concrete and masonry pros in the commercial construction space. This year’s show will feature 150-plus educational sessions, 200 first-time WOC exhibitors and almost 100 product categories to explore.

Educational sessions include the following:

• 9 Building Blocks of Company Culture to Increase Profits & Productivity — Learn nine key actions to increase retention, improve morale and boost productivity.
• Maintaining Structural Safety: Avoiding Collapse, Structural Deficiencies & Construction Defects — This session covers proper shoring and reshoring techniques, signs of structural distress and debris loading tips.
• Bridging the Gap Between General Contractor & Engineer — This workshop addresses collaboration challenges and improving construction productivity through enhanced communication.

In addition to education, WOC offers an array of events or demonstrations, including an artificial rock sculpting showcase, Scaffold & Access Industry Association’s 2026 Scaffold Builders Competition, Concrete Industry Management’s live and silent auctions to support university programs, and Spec Mix’s Bricklayer 500 World Championship.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG

Just six weeks after WOC, construction industry folks will head back to Vegas for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, which takes place March 3-7 at the LVCC. Held every three years, CONEXPO is the largest construction trade show in North America. The 2023 edition had a record-breaking 139,000 registered attendees. This year’s showing promises to be another stunner with more than 2,000 exhibitors, 2.9 million square feet of exhibits and 150 education sessions.

CONEXPO will show off its first-ever Ground Breakers Stage, which will feature presentations on the latest autonomous technology, workforce innovations and sustainability solutions. Show Director Dana Wuesthoff said: “The Ground Breakers Stage gives attendees a front-row seat to the ideas and investments shaping construction’s global future.”

With original equipment manufacturers, tech experts and construction firms from all over the world planning to showcase their latest and greatest, you won’t want to miss this one.

World Record Attempt

The commercial construction industry is set to make history at CONEXPO with a Guinness World Record attempt for “most people wearing high-visibility vests.” The attempt, scheduled for March 3, aims to shatter the existing record of 2,499 participants and shine a spotlight on the vital role the industry plays in shaping communities and infrastructure across the continent.

Trade show organizers will host the record attempt as part of CONEXPO-CON/AGG’s opening ceremony by gathering thousands of attendees clad in vibrant orange construction safety vests to demonstrate the unity and collective $2.2 trillion impact of the U.S. construction sector.

“This record attempt is more than a number — it’s a celebration of the advances, hard work, innovation and dedication of everyone in the construction industry,” said Dana Wuesthoff, show director of CONEXPO-CON/AGG. “We want to honor those who build our cities, roads, railways, airports, stadiums and monuments and highlight how their efforts touch every aspect of society. This record is particularly important to us as safety is and always will be of utmost priority for the industry and the people who make this work possible.”

Participants in the record-breaking attempt will receive commemorative safety vests and be recognized for their role in this historic gathering. 

“We are excited to host this extraordinary moment as the construction community comes together to celebrate its innovation, sustainability advances, workforce investments and set a new world record in the heart of Las Vegas,” said Michael Empric, official adjudicator at Guinness World Records. 
 

Next Level Awards

CONEXPO will announce the winners of its Next Level Awards on March 6 at 10:30 a.m. PST. The awards recognize innovations and advancement in construction and equipment. Check out the full list of finalists, including Instagrid, Stellar Industries, Komatsu and Samsara, at conexpoconagg.com. 
 

Sneak Peek: DEVELON Returns to CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026

DEVELON will return to CONEXPO-CON/AGG from March 3–7, exhibiting a comprehensive lineup of construction equipment at outdoor booth F32054.

The exhibit will highlight new heavy and compact DEVELON machines, all equipped with multiple features for productivity, safety and uptime protection. A major introduction will be the next-generation DEVELON excavator lineup, offering advancements in smart technology. The booth will also showcase current innovative products, including articulated dump trucks, dozers, wheel loaders, mini excavators and compact track loaders.

Attendees can see the power of the equipment with live demos featuring a DEVELON excavator, dozer and wheel loader. A major attraction will be the compact equipment operator challenge, offering hands-on experience with a mini excavator and a compact track loader to test operating skills.

The exhibit will feature areas detailing the history of DEVELON, current innovations like the Transparent Bucket and Smart X-Care service, and future concepts such as Concept-X2. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore these advanced features and future machine concepts through immersive experiences, including mixed reality and virtual reality demonstrations.

For the first time, DEVELON merchandise will be available for purchase on-site.